Donations Needed As Moorestown's Percheron Park Project Drags On

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The remediation of Percheron Park is complete, and the full project is expected to be finished by next year, but the driving force behind the project is still in need of help from the community.

The remediation portion of the project, which was needed because the site was formerly a gas station, has been finished, Moorestown Township Manager Thomas Neff said at the Dec. 2 council meeting. The township still needs approvals from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) concerning ground water samples.

It is not anticipated to be a problem, but Neff said the approval is expected to take four to six months to obtain. The township is hoping to go out to bid on the project in May, with completion targeted for the summer.

It’s been a long road for the project, which was initially conceived in 2006. Margo Foster, one of the founding members of the Friends of Percheron Park, previously told Patch the committee formed that year with the idea of "perking up" Main Street and solicited input from residents.

A story emerged of Edward Harris bringing the first Percheron horse to the United States from Europe. That horse came to Moorestown.

“Their size, stamina and temperament soon made them the dominant breed of draft horses in the U.S.,” Friends of Percheron Park founding member Kathy Logue said. “Mr Harris’ prime stallion was named Diligence. We thought what better name than Percheron Park and what better focal point for the park than a statue of Diligence to commemorate this part of Moorestown’s history.”

In 2007, the township purchased the former gas station and auto repair shop at 1 High Street. This would become the destination for the statue, which was now in need of beautiful surroundings. The idea of the Percheron Park project was born. The Friends of Percheron Park was incorporated in 2012, and fundraising for the project began.

In 2013, sculptor Joshua Koffman, who received worldwide acclaim and a blessing from Pope Francis, was commissioned to create the statue. He has created a 12” bronze model of the statue, which was first unveiled in 2014, Logue said.

But in the 13 years since the project was initially conceived, construction costs have gone up and the Friends of Percheron Park are in still in need of funding.

“Obviously costs have increased since our estimates of 2013,” said Logue, who added that the group received a $1,000 grant from Wells Fargo in 2017. “We also don’t have the ability to actually build the park.”

The township has obtained construction costs and documents to build the park with the Friends of Percheron Park donating funds to cover the elements of the park, she said.

She said the committee has about $95,000 in a local bank. Sculpture costs have increased by about $30,000 since the project was first conceived, but they don’t have a good handle on the construction costs.

“We raised $189,000 in eight years, and have paid half the price to the sculptor,” Logue said. “We always intended to cover the whole cost, but the price has increased over the last eight years.”
“We will continue to raise funds and appreciate this opportunity to kick start renewed fundraising,” Logue said. “We have two remaining 12’ bronze statues of Diligence which are available for donations of $5,000. We also have opportunities for individuals or groups to make donations for the statue and for large or small impressions on the limestone caps. Of course, we appreciate all donations, large or small and are once again counting on the generosity of Moorestownians. We encourage everyone, in this season of giving, to include the FOPP in your end of year donations.”

Once the park is completed, the committee envisions it as “an oasis on Main Street where we can sit and enjoy the view, meet our neighbors and appreciate our heritage, under the watchful eye of our statue of Diligence.”

Committee member Gina Zegel pointed out that the ground water NJDEP needs samples of will be under ground, and no one will be exposed to it at the park.

“We should do what we can to bring this project to a conclusion,” Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano said. “It’s very meaningful to the history of our town. They’ve shown a tremendous amount of patience, and we owe it to them and the rest of the town to get this work done.”
Mayor Lisa Petriello agreed, and said the township was “heading in that direction.”

“There’s a lot of support in the town to get this done,” said Neff, who said the township would have a better idea of what was needed in the spring. “We encourage people to donate. … The goal is to get it done privately if we can.”

The full membership of the committee includes Kathy Logue, Margo Foster, Gina Zegel, Jolee Greenberg, Julie Maravich and Ann Langerhans.

“We’d like to thank Mr. Neff, and the many members of council, township staff and community volunteers and groups whose support have helped us get to this point,” Logue said.

Donations can be made at www.percheronpark.org and at https://www.facebook.com/donate/536341237218226/.

See related: Percherons Hold Place Of Honor In Moorestown History